Key interposer means in printing and punching machine



March 30, 1965 A. R. BONE 3,175,484

KEY INTERPOSER MEANS IN PRINTING AND PUNCHING MACHINE Filed March 21,1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J! i ,24 ZJ J! 7 i i a [I 38 6. Iv V J if g 1:

A. R. BONE March 30, 1965 KEY INTERPOSER MEANS IN PRINTING AND PUNCHINGMACHINE Filed March 21, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l l l I h" n United StatesPatent KEY INTERPOSER MEANS 1N PRINTING AND PUNCIWG MACHINE Arnold R.Bone, Needham, Mass., assignor to Dennison Manufacturing Company,Framingham, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Mar. 21, 1%2,Ser. No. 181,272 4 Claims. (Cl. 161-19) This invention relates toprinting and punching machines adapted to print information and to punchcorresponding information which is intended to be machine read.Reference may be made to the US. patent to Bone and Sloan No. 2,890,650for a description of a printed and punched multiple-section ticket andmechanism for preparing such ticket. That patent gives as an example,the use of such ticket as a price ticket of which one of the sectionsmay be detached at the time of sale of the ticketed article. A furtheruse of tickets of this type is in manufacturing or article-handlinggenerally in which an article or batch is to be subjected to severaloperations, inspections, counting or the like, and it is desired to havemachine-readable records as to the progress of the articles or batchesof articles. It would be desirable in such case to form the ticket withsufficient sections so that a section could be detached at each ofseveral stations, for control or statistical purposes.

In such use of printed and punched tickets, it is desirable to providefor printing and punching on the individual ticket section that isdetached at any particular station information that is peculiar to theoperation at that station, for example, the date, a quantity figure,such as a quantity removed from the batch at that station, or the numberof the station or of the operator at that station. Such informationprinted and punched at a particular station, may be in addition toinformation which is printed and punched on some or all of the sectionsof the ticket in the initial manufacture of the ticket.

For such printing and punching of individual ticket sections detached atvarious stations in the flow of the article, it is important that thedevice for printing and punching the information that pertains to theoperation at that particular station shall be inexpensive, so that manyof such devices can be used at many such stations, and shall be easilyoperated by persons who are not particularly experienced in printing andpunching tickets but have other more primary duties. It is moreoverimportant that there shall be no possibility of unintended failure ofthe printing and punching to correspond. The quality of the punching (tobe machine-read), and preferably also the quality of the printing,should be equal to that which is obtainable in initially printing andpunching multiple-section tickets by specialized machines and operators.

Where the tickets are initially manufactured with some printing andpunching thereon, it is of course to be understood that such originalprinting and punching need not fill up the whole of each ticket section.By economical use of initial printing and punching, space may be leftfor the addition of further printing and punching of various otherticket sections at later stages. However, the small size of the ticketsection (typically only 1 inch wide and for example in the region of 2or 3 inches long) imposes a severe limitation on the equipment to beused for any printing and punching if it is desired that theseoperations are to be performed simultaneously and within the confines ofso much of a ticket section area as is available. It will be noted thatin the initial manufacture of tickets as in said patent to Bone andSloan, printing on a given ticket section is performed at one station,and punching is performed at another station, to which the ticketsection is automatically fed. That would be undesirable in a machinewhich was to be operated only occasionally and which must beinexpensive.

It is proposed in the US. patent to Rothmann No. 2,943,559 to provide aseries of settable marking wheels each comprising a print wheel and apunching wheel, the latter carrying adjacent to each printing numeral onthe print wheel one or two punch pins located in the one or twopositions of a four-position code which correspond to the number printedby the associated print wheel number character. Printing and codepunching are thus interspersed in a direction axially of the series ofmarker wheels.

I consider it to be preferable to avoid such interspersion of printingand punching in a series of marking wheels for several reasons, amongwhich are (1) in order to reduce the amount by which the space for a rowof printing restricts the space available for punch holes; (2) in orderto permit easy and accurate alignment of punches with closely fittingdie holes in an underlying die; (3) to guide the punches close above thesurface of the die and have them retract within holes in a guidepositioned close to the die so as to separate the punched ticket and thepunches positively and shield the operative ends of the punches whichare withdrawn within these holes; (4) in order to permit the punches tobe assembled without fixed attachment to a common support but ratherwith the more usual sliding insertion into holes in retainer plates.

Much of the complication that has been involved in the problem ofprinting and punching simultaneously within the confines of one smallticket section or a part thereof remaining available after previousprinting and punching has apparently resulted from the fact that for thesolution of that problem there has been no evident way of preservingboth the construction of punching equipment and the general mode ofchanging of setting of printing and punching that has been customary ininitial manufacture of printed and punched tickets. The presentinvention in volved the thought that a different type of change ofsetting will permit the most advantageous features of punching equipmentto be retained, consistently with the printing and punching beingperformed simultaneously Within a small area.

The invention will be explained by a description of a preferredembodiment.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation with portions of the machine broken away;

FIG. 1a is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly invertical section showing the movable head portion of the device of FIG.1 in its raised position;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1a;

The working parts of the machine are supported by a bed plate 10 whichmay be mounted upon any suitable supporting means, not shown, forexample legs, a support ing frame or stand, the whole machine beingportable. Pillow blocks 11 and 12 which depend from the bedplate 10 areslotted at 13 and 14 and provide vertical guideways for a shaft 16. Theshaft 16, which can move vertically in the slots 13 and 14, constitutesthe support for a vertically movable link 20, which extends up throughan opening 21 in the bedplate 1t) and carries at its upper end ahorizontally extending plate 23 which is guided by a stationary verticalstud 24.

Toggle links 25 connect the vertically movable shaft 16 to a swingablelower shaft 26 which is constrained to movement about a stationaryintermediate shaft 28 by an H-shaped link 29 (FIG. 2). As indicated inFIG. 1

the toggle links 25 are curved to extend around the stationary shaft 28.An operating lever 30 extending from 1 link 29 provides for swinging thelink 29 to carry the toggle links to the lower full line position ofFIG. 1 which draws down the shaft 16, link 29, and its plate 23 toeftectthe punching and printing. The link 26 and plate 23 carryvertically movable elements of the punch a ing and printing device, andFIGS. 1 and 2 represent the lowered position of link 29 and plate 23 inpunching and printing. FIG. 1a shows the upper portions of the movableparts of the machine raised, as occurs when the lever 30 is moved't'oits broken line position of FIG. 1. a

The bedplate is provided with locating pins 34 and 35 adapted to extendinto corresponding locating holes in a ticket section, and when a ticketsection T is thus 7 positioned the right end portion of the ticketsection as shown in FIG. 2 will extend beneath the vertically movableparts of the punching and printing head. The parts that overlie theticket are supported altogether from beyond the right end. of theticket,those parts which are vertically movable being carried by the link20,1and those parts which are stationary being supported from'thebedplate It); When the head is raised ticket material can be advancedeither to the left or right in FIG. la, so that successive'sections of amultiple section ticket can be brought into position to be'punched andprinted, or any particular section of a multiple section ticket can bepositioned for punching andprinting.

' A bank of for example seventy-five punch pins 37 (in fifteen columnsof five pins per column) may be provided.

It will'be understood that for many uses a lesser num-' Between thelevels of the stationary retainer plates 38 V and 39, 'a horizontallydisposed and vertically movable. pin lifter plate 45 surrounds the punchpins 37 beneath collars 37a thereon. LPunch lifter plate 45 isvertically movable with the head, and in rising insures withdrawal ofall pins Whichfhave penetrated a ticket, the lower ends of thesepinswithdrawing into the holes in the lower pin retainer plate 139 as inFIG.- 1a, and thus being shielded. V

1 Plate at its right end in FIG. 2 is secured to a shoulder on link 20and at its opposite end is connected to a vertical end plate 46. thatextends down from the plate 23. A stationary die 47 is inset in thebedplate 10 beneath the punches. In the die 47, butiofiset from thefield of punching, a printing platen 49 is provided. An ink ribbon 50 isguided, bysuitable guide means including the guide 51, above the top ofthe upper plate 23, down the left side of the head in FIG. 2, thence tothe right over the part of the ticket overlying the platen, the link 20being slotted at 20a to provide a passage for the. ribbon. Any suitableribbon feeding and reversing mechanism, not shown, may

be provided.

Removable interchangeable keys 60 are provided, each servingfas a punchinterposer for a selected combination of punch pins of a column and alsocarrying a printing; character corresponding to the combination of punchpins operated by the key as an interposer.

As shown a key 60 has a verticallyextending portion 60a from which anupper'horizontal portion 60b extends, overlying the pins of one column.Thisiupper portion 60a is notched so that it clears a predeterminedthree of the punch pins of the column and engages and operates to theright in FIG. 1.

carries a type bar 61 carrying a downwardly-facing printing character,such as a digit, corresponding to the meankeys may be provided eachdisposed with its notched por- 'tion 6% above a column of punch pins.

For simplicity of illustration only two such keys. are shown'in FIG. 2.For positioning the keys in the vertically movable head, the upper plate23 is slotted at its lower face to receive the upper edge portions ofthe keys, and a vertically disposed lower guide plate 65 is slotted atits lower edge to receive the upper edge portions of the lowerhorizontal portions 50c of the keys. Lower guideplate 65 is slotted toreceive, a. spring pressed" detent 65 having a limited upward movement.This detent 66 urges the keys upwardly and also, when, keys are fullyinsertedland their vertically extending portions 60a are seated againstthe guideplate 65, the detent 6e engages with shoulders 67 on the keysto retain them against accidental displacement The upper portions of thekeys, where they extend out from the head, are preferably notched, as at68 (FIG. 1) to receive a bill or'prong of a hand-tool '70 (FIG. la) bywhich the keys may be readily pulled out. a

It will be understood that the code which systematically relatesprinting and punching for each of the removable and interchangeable keyswill in most instances, although not necessarily, be thesarne as isemployed in'the initial printing and punching o f'the ticket. 'ThusWhere the tickets are originally manufactured by the machine of saidBone and Sloan patent, leaving space for further printing and punchingby the machine of the present invention,the printing characters of thekeys will advantageously be the ten digits and the code will be acombination code using the ten combinations of two punch positions outof 'five.

The keys, aside from their type bars, are sheet metal and accordinglyare so inexpensive that each of a group of machines of the present maybe supplied witha sufficient assortment of keys to enable the setting upof any number within the capacity of the machine. In many cases howeverit will'be practicable for the users of a group of machines to drawtheir keys from a common supply. 1

The principal elements of the illustrated preferred form of movable headare: the upper part of link 2%, the horizontal plate 23 at the topoflink 20, the horizontal lifter the other predetermined two punch pins ofthe column. ,7

Those pins which are cleared by the notched portions of keys, and .anypins in columns whereno key is present pins whichflare operated by thekeys'will be driven through the ticket and'into the die 47.

Alower horizontally'extending portiontitlc of'the key plate 45, thevertical end plate 46. and the vertically disposed guide plate 65. Thekeysoti, as evident, partake of the movement of this. headrelative tothe die and platen.

Iclaim: W

1. A printing and punchingm'achine including a head, a bank of punchesarranged to cover a field of punching, a die for the punches, the headand die being'adapted for relative movement of relative'approach andrelative withdrawal, a group of individually removable andinterchangeable punch-controlling interposers of plate-like form adaptedto be mounted in the head so as to partake of said relative movement,means for releasably holding the interposers in the head each alignedwith a respective plurality of said punches which cover a' column ofsaid field, the punchesbeing slidably mounted between the interposersand the die and the machine including means normally holding the punchesspaced from the die, upon such relative withdrawal, said group ofinterposers presenting to predetermined punches of the bank lateral edgej surfaces comprising punch-operating surfaces opposed to I will simplyrest on the ticket without penetrating it. Those.

the die so that relative approach of the group of interposers and thedie edgewise of the interposers will force saidpredetermined punchesthrough sheet material at the die, means for causing relativemovement'between head and die to cause said relative approach, theindividual j-interposers having combined therewith portions extending tothe region of sheet material positioned to be punched by the punches andthere carrying respective printing characters having systematiccorrespondence to the punching by the respective column of punches withwhich the interposer is aligned, and a printing platen adapted tocooperate with said printing characters upon such relative approach ofinterposers and die.

2. A printing and punching machine including a head, a bank of punchesarranged to cover a field of punching, a die for the punches, the headand die being adapted for relative movement of relative approach andrelative withdrawal, a group of individually removable andinterchangeable punch-controlling interposers of plate-like form adaptedto be mounted in the head so as to partake of said relative movement,means for releasably holding the interposers in the head each alignedwith a respective plurality of said punches which cover a column of saidfield, the punches being slidably mounted between the interposers andthe die, said group of interposers presenting to predetermined punchesof the bank lateral edge surfaces comprising punch-operating surfacesopposed to the die so that relative approach of the group of interposersand the die edgewise of the interposers will force said predeterminedpunches through sheet material at the die, means for causing relativemovement between head and die to cause said relative approach andsubsequent relative Withdrawal of the interposers and die, theindividual interposers having combined therewith portions extending tothe region of sheet material positioned to be punched by the punches andthere carrying respective printing characters having systematiccorrespondence to the punching by the respective column of punches withwhich the interposer is aligned, a printing platen adapted to cooperatewith said printing characters upon such relative approach of interposersand die, means for separating the punches and die upon relativewithdrawal of the interposers and die, and a plate having apertures forthe punches, the operative ends of the punches withdrawing into saidapertures when the punches and die are separated.

3. A printing and punching machine including a bank of punches arrangedto cover a field of punching, removable and interchangeable sheet metalkey members having upper portions extending laterally over the upperends of punches of the bank for operating predetermined punches thereofand having lower portions extending laterally toward the bank ofpunches, the upper and lower laterally extending portions of each keymember being integrally connected, and the lower laterally extendingportion of each key member carrying a downwardly directed printingelement, the machine including an upper guide presenting slots for thereception of upper edges of the upper laterally extending portions ofthe key members and a lower guide presenting slots for the reception ofupper edges of the lower laterally extending portions of the keymembers, means for urging the key members upwardly, a bed including adie for the punches and a platen, a head carrying said upper and lowerguides, and means for causing relative approach and withdrawal of thehead and bed.

4. A machine for printing and punching sheet material comprising a diefor supporting said material, a head above the die, punches for punchingsaid material, the punches extending downwardly adjacent to thesupported material, key members for operating the punches, meansnormally holding the punches in the head and spaced from the die andslidable on the head, means for mounting the key members on the head,and means for producing relative movement between the head and die, eachkey member comprising an integral sheet metal body including an upperportion and a lower portion, the upper portion constituting an upperlateral extension forming a punch-operating interposer and notched withdownwardly open notching in the lower edge of the lateral extension toclear predetermined punches, a lower portion extending below said loweredge, and a printing element directed downwardly from the lower portionadjacent the supported material.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,140,505 5/15Day 234- 1,602,874 10/20 Baille 10119X 1,827,180 10/33 Williams 101-19X1,866,997 7/32 Bryce 10166 x 1,871,060 8/32 Hoifman.

1,919,219 7/33 Hoffman 101-19 2,909,221 10/59 Hopp 101 19X WILLIAM B.PENN, Primary Examiner.

1. A PRINTING AND PUNCHING MACHINE INCLUDING A HEAD, A BANK FOR PUNCHESARRANGED TO COVER A FIELD OF PUNCHING, A DIE FOR THE PUNCHES, THE HEADAND DIE BEING ADAPTED FOR RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF RELATIVE APPROACH ANDRELATIVE WITHDRAWAL, A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALLY REMOVABLE ANDINTERCHANGEABLE PUNCH-CONTROLLING INTERPOSERS OF PLATE-LIKE FORM ADAPTEDTO BE MOUNTED IN THE HEAD SO AS TO PARTAKE OF SAID RELATIVE MOVEMENT,MEANS FOR RELEASABLY HOLDING THE INTERPOSERS IN THE HEAD EACH ALIGNEDWITH A RESPECTIVE PLURALITY OF SAID PUNCHES WHICH COVER A COLUMN OF SAIDFIELD, THE PUNCHES BEING SLIDABLY MOUNTED BETWEEN THE INTERPOSERS ANDTHE DIE AND THE MACHINE INCLUDING MEANS NORMALLY HOLDING THE PUNCHESSPACED FROM THE DIE, UPON SUCH RELATIVE WITHDRAWAL, SAID GROUP OFINTERPOSERS PRESENTING TO PREDETERMINED PUNCHES OF THE BANK LATERAL EDGESURFACES COMPRISING PUNCH-OPERATING SURFACES OPPOSED TO THE DIE SO THATRELATIVE APPROACH OF THE GROUP OF INTERPOSERS AND THE DIE EDGEWISE OFTHE INTERPOSERS WILL FORCE SAID PREDETERMINED PUNCHES THROUGH SHEETMATERIAL AT THE DIE, MEANS FOR CAUSING RELATIVE MOVMENT BETWEEN HEAD ANDDIE TO CAUSE SAID RELATIVE APPROACH, THE INDIVIDUAL INTERPOSERS HAVINGCOMBINED THEREWITH PORTIONS EXTENDING TO THE REGION OF SHEET MATERIALPOSITIONED TO BE PUNCHED BY THE PUNCHES AND THERE CARRYING RESPECTIVEPRINTING CHARACTERS HAVING SYSTEMATIC CORRESPONDENCE TO THE PUNCHING BYTHE RESPECTIVE COLUMN OF PUNCHES WITH WHICH THE INTERPOSER IS ALIGNED,AND A PRINTING PLATEN ADAPTED TO COOPERATE WITH SAID PRINTING CHARACTERSUPON SUCH RELATIVE APPROACH OF INTERPOSERS AND DIE.